Kent · Heat pump installation
Rabbit's Cross air source heat pumps
We cover Rabbit's Cross for MCS certified installation of air source heat pumps for heating and hot water, with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant applied for. Diagnosis first, a fixed price and proper paperwork when we finish.
- Replacing a combi boiler with a heat pump
- Deciding on the outdoor unit position
- Checking emitters for a heat pump
Air source heat pumps for homes and businesses in Rabbit's Cross
We install air source heat pumps in Rabbit's Cross and across Kent, and we’re MCS certified. There are two kinds: air-to-water, which heats radiators or underfloor heating and your hot water, and air-to-air, which warms rooms through indoor units and can also cool. We’ll explain which type fits your home and why. The work covers underfloor heating, hot water cylinders and homes heated by oil, LPG or gas, and the jobs we see most are checking whether planning permission is needed and checking eligibility for a heat pump grant.
Older and listed homes in villages like Rabbit's Cross need extra care, and permitted development doesn’t cover listed buildings, so consent comes first.
Think of the paperwork as the system’s health record: a dated account of the work and the readings we took. It makes the next visit quicker and any warranty question simpler and it’s worth keeping safe.
- Where
- Rabbit's Cross (ME17)
- Region
- Kent
- Guide price
- Air-to-water £8,000–£16,000 before any grant (0% VAT for homes)
- Credentials
- F-Gas certified, NICEIC approved, MCS
- Price
- Fixed-price quote after a site survey
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Page updated
- 30 October 2026
Air source heat pumps in Rabbit's Cross: the local picture
VOA council tax data show about 31% of homes across Rabbit's Cross and its surrounding area were built in 2000 or later, and about 74% of households live in detached or semi-detached houses, according to the last census (2021). Better insulated, newer homes are often a good match for a heat pump. Finding room for the outdoor unit and a cylinder is seldom a problem in homes like these.
Every heat pump design starts with a room-by-room heat loss calculation. Historic houses such as Stoneacre, about 3.9 miles north, are a reminder that listed homes need consent before a heat pump goes in.
Rabbit's Cross is about 5 miles south of Maidstone, in Kent. Across the ME17 area, we can help with air source heat pumps. Rabbit's Cross is one of 922 towns, villages and districts in Kent where we work for homes and businesses. East Grinstead, roughly 25 miles off, has its own page on this site.
All of ME17 is within our area. Places around Rabbit's Cross that are also on our list: Cross-at-Hand (1 mile south), Devil's Den (1 mile east), Underling Green (2 miles west), Farthing Green (2 miles east) and St Ann's Green (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Maidstone (5 miles north), Ashford (14 miles east), Sittingbourne (13 miles north-east) and Royal Tunbridge Wells (13 miles west).
Around Rabbit's Cross
The closest station to Rabbit's Cross is Staplehurst station, roughly 1.8 miles south. Well-known places in the area include South East Romany Museum (2.4 miles south-west) and Oakwood Hospital (5.7 miles north-west).
What happens on the day
The visit has three parts, a bit like a doctor’s appointment: look, put right and sign off. First we check the system or the space against the plan, then the work itself, and finally we test, record and explain. The middle part takes longest, which takes a few days for most air-to-water installations, with air-to-air systems often quicker. For a place like Rabbit's Cross, the timing is set with you and the travel is our side of the planning.
- It starts with a conversation about the home, the existing heating and your plans.
- The survey measures heat loss room by room and looks at radiators, hot water and the best spot for the outdoor unit.
- A fixed-price quote follows, setting out the system, any grant that applies and the VAT.
- Installation covers the outdoor unit, the indoor connections and the controls.
- Commissioning, MCS certification and a handover of the controls finish the job.
Preparing for the visit
- Make sure someone can let us in at the agreed time
- Keep pets out of the rooms we’re working in
- Mention any parking restrictions near the property
Get a fixed-price quote
Photos are the fastest route to a quote: the room or the existing unit, the outside wall or roof where the outdoor unit sits or would go, and the label on any existing unit. Tell us the address and what you need, and simple jobs can often be priced without a visit.
Related advice
Looking after it afterwards
Looking after it is simple, and it helps at the next service:
- Clear leaves and debris from the outdoor unit
- Check eligibility for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme early
- Leave indoor units unobstructed
Where we applied for a Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, we keep you informed through the process since the grant goes through the installer.
Heat pumps prefer steady, low-temperature running as explained at handover.
Different systems, different jobs
Air-to-air heat pumps
An air-to-air system heats rooms directly and can also provide cooling. They do not heat hot water, so that has to come from elsewhere.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme
There’s one grant per property, and you cannot get a grant to replace a low-carbon system. Hybrids are excluded.
Safe owner checks
Owners can handle the everyday basics: keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves, plants and clutter, check the settings and the remote, and follow the cleaning the manual describes. Opening up the units, the electrics and the refrigerant circuit are a job for us.
Some faults have simple causes you can check first: is the system in the right mode, is the set temperature sensible, are the remote’s batteries working and has the breaker tripped. If a breaker trips again after you reset it, leave it off and ring 07833 053749 or use the quote form.
Questions from Rabbit's Cross
Will you come out to Rabbit's Cross?
Yes. Rabbit's Cross is within the area we cover across London and the South East. A few photos and the postcode are enough to get things started.
Can I fit a heat pump in Rabbit's Cross without planning permission?
It depends on the property. Around 6 listed entries sit within 0.5 miles of central Rabbit's Cross. On a house, an air source heat pump can often go ahead under permitted development, with an outdoor unit of no more than 1.5 cubic metres and an installation that meets MCS 020(a), which includes a noise check. Those rights don’t reach the grounds of a listed building, and conservation areas rule out walls or roofs facing a road. If that might affect you, we ask Maidstone council, which is normally the planning authority for Rabbit's Cross.
Which accreditations do you hold?
AirCon Doctor is an F-Gas certified company, with NICEIC approval for electrical work and MCS certification for heat pumps. We’re also Checkatrade members.
Is the equipment covered by a warranty?
It’s the manufacturer’s, and the terms are theirs. Some brands make regular servicing a condition, so keep your service records.
Is there a survey before the work?
Yes. Every job is looked at first, on a survey, or from your pictures and details where the job is simple. A fixed-price quote follows.
When will I hear back?
On the same working day you contact us. After that, we agree a survey, diagnosis or installation date that suits you, with a fixed price before work starts.
How long does a heat pump installation take?
A typical installation takes a few days for most air-to-water installations, with air-to-air systems often quicker. The programme is planned to keep time without heating short, and we explain it in advance.
Also near Rabbit's Cross
Other services in Rabbit's Cross
A customer’s words
“Office air con broke down in the July heatwave. Called at 8am, engineer was here by noon and fixed within 2 hours. Brilliant emergency response. They now hold the service contract for the whole building.”
James T., Crawley, office manager